Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motorcycles, bicycles, snow mobiles, jet skis and other vehicles with handlebars. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems and techniques for providing a second set of handlebars for use such vehicles along with a first set of handlebars.
Description of the Related Art
It is well-known in the motorcycle community that the typically fixed position of the handlebars has numerous limitations including: 1) a suboptimal positioning of the handlebars for a rider; 2) even if optimal at one time, the fixed handlebar position can be uncomfortable for a rider on another occasion due to injury, illness, weight gain or a variety of other changes in the riders condition or mood; and/or 3) the position of the handlebars, even if comfortable at the start of a ride, can become uncomfortable over time after long hours on the road.
Accordingly, a need has existed in the art for an apparatus and method for adjusting the position of handlebars for motorcycles and other similar vehicles. While adjustable handlebars were known in the art, these systems typically required the user to adjust the handlebar positions mechanically and by hand. This was slow, cumbersome and typically provided a discrete set of position options as opposed to a continuous set of position options. Hence, a need remained in the art for an easy to use motorized system and method for adjusting motorcycle handle bars over a continuous range of motion.
The need was addressed by an invention disclosed by P. Oravecz in a patent application entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE MOTORIZED ADJUSTMENT OF MOTORCYCLE HANDLEBARS, Ser. No. 14/171,708, filed Feb. 3, 2014 and issued May 26, 2015 as U.S. Pat. No. 9,038,500, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application discloses and claims a motorized system for adjusting the tilt angle and telescopic position of handlebars mounted on a motorcycle, bicycle or other vehicle.
While this invention substantially addresses the need in the art, unfortunately, it requires a removal of the original handlebars. However, in some motorcycles, such as sport speed bikes there is a value in retaining the original handlebars while still providing some option for adjusting the rider's position.
Hence, a need remains for a system for a system for adjusting the rider's position while still controlling the motorcycle (i.e., throttle, brake, clutch, etc.) and allowing for use of the original handlebars.